Jane Eyre - Pennsylvania State University

could not reach it, even in fancy—a counteracting breeze blew
off land, and continually drove me back. Sense would resist
delirium: judgment would warn passion. Too feverish to rest,
I rose as soon as day dawned.
Jane Eyre
154
CHAPTER XVI
I BOTH WISHED and feared to see Mr. Rochester on the day
which followed this sleepless night: I wanted to hear his voice
again, yet feared to meet his eye. During the early part of the
morning, I momentarily expected his coming; he was not in
the frequent habit of entering the schoolroom, but he did
step in for a few minutes sometimes, and I had the impression
that he was sure to visit it that day.
But the morning passed just as usual: nothing happened to
interrupt the quiet course of Adele’s studies; only soon after breakfast,
I heard some bustle in the neighbourhood of Mr. Rochester’s
chamber, Mrs. Fairfax’s voice, and Leah’s, and the cook’s—that
is, John’s wife—and even John’s own gruff tones. There were
exclamations of “What a mercy master was not burnt in his bed!”
“It is always dangerous to keep a candle lit at night.” “How providential
that he had presence of mind to think of the water-jug!”
“I wonder he waked nobody!” “It is to be hoped he will not take
cold with sleeping on the library sofa,” &c.
To much confabulation succeeded a sound of scrubbing
and setting to rights; and when I passed the room, in going